Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-02-22
MONTANA CATTLE.
0piniOns, via Outside Points-A ilesed
fa "a Exaggeratetis sRenorta gsgA "a Z

0piniOns, via Outside Points-A ilesed
Exaggerated Reports. X ~
Washington, Feb. pa gentleman
from Helena, Mont, who arrived IN
Washington last night after .six. days
and nights persistent snowplowin and
digging through drifts, says that while
the northwest has never experienced
such g winter in persistenoy Of storms
and billiards and depth Of snowfall, the
tales oflsnfferIng among families and
loss among cattle have been greatly ex-
|aggerated. g{ 55as= ~ ~
II came down the Yellowstone valley, y
said he, with one of the most experi-
enced stock growers of Montana, and
although three engines were engaged
most OF the'tim in bncking the drifts
ahead of us, our progress was necessarily
Glow, and we had good opportunity to
observe most of the herds of range
cattle along lthe line. I confess that |
was surprised 81 to find them look
ing 90 we'll Most OF them were strong
in flesh and had evidently not
lacked for food during the winter. The
proportion OF dead was very small, and
by no means carried out the extraordi.
nary reports with which the east has
been served I saw large Numbers. of
antelope along the track, and they
looked fat and strong, as though feed
had been accessible all winter. NY
friend the stock grower showed me the
absudity of the reports being anything
but guessw oTk, The great Montana and
Wyoming range is 400 by 600 miles in
extent, eana the rapldity with, which
storm has followed storm has rendered
It impossible for any man to ride the
range to secure correct reports of the
condition OF the herds. In some cases
where csttle had strayed, and become
penned the mortality among them has
been great, but where they have had free
sweep across the range before the storm
they have gensraly escaped with
comparatively little loss. / don't
believe the loss will (, reach above
20 per cent IN the average, although
they have: been averaged as high as rs.
In some cases these exaggerated re-
ports are set on fpot for . purpose by
the ranch companies themselves, and
will be used to good ad vantage by ehaky
companies with their creditors 10 the
spring. Even with the loss and discom-
fort entailed by the terrific winter. the
gentleman is able to figure out consider.
able advantage to the northwest from
it. He says the advantage of heavy
snowfalls to that country can never be
estimated by people in, the east. The
great amount that has fallen in the
territories will make placer mining
decidedly aotiTe this year and will prove
OF the utmost Importance to the arfierf-
tural; sections of the country. Even II
the cattle losses should prove ore. III as
great as reported, the Improvement
IN the price OF beef will have great
effect in stimulating stock industry
through the west, and the utter ruin that
has so frequently been predicted for
Montana and Wyoming as a.resnit OF the
winter seems quite distance off vet the
gent tleman thinks. &@i ~ =
al8t. Paul Pionees Press. Feb. g1st:
Conrad Kohrs, OF Deer lodge, Montana,
was m Ut. Paul yesterday. Mr., Kohrs
is one OF the most extensive cattle
owners in Montana. Speaking OF the
cattle interests, he said: ass g fsse
i think the estimate of t25 per ceYh I
loss ie too high. II woul9 not put 1t
more than per cent now, thoagh If bad
weather continues IL may get as high as
70 per cent. The loss on my ranges is
not very great yet. had letter from
my boys dated the 7th, and il eaid they
had found some dead stock but not
many, The ground was about balf bare
then. The cattle were thin, but IL was
thought they would come out ell right.
The amount Of snow on top of the drouth
has made ut a hard winter for stock.
What are known ss "immigrant CATTLE
those that have mot become scclimated,
are the ones that cannot, stand the
winter. Probably is per cent Of them
will due. herother stock will come out
very thin, but IL there is not any more
bad weather the loss will be only about
3 per cent ~ 5Es,1 s4ia Z. b 9sls eI